The L.E.C. called for order as the timer finally hit zero, its shrill alarm echoing through the stadium.
"With the selection stage over, we have already lost 203 candidates. There is always next year; do not let this single loss decide your fate," the L.E.C. announced.
A somber procession began as the 203 unlucky individuals were ushered toward the exits. Some walked in stunned silence, others were visibly angry, and a few were seen weeping openly by the gateway. For many, a SHIELD license was more than just a badge of honor—it was a golden ticket. Even for those who didn't want to fight, a license could be sold on the black market for a fortune, or used to gain illegal access to portals to scavenge for rare gems and valuable monster parts. Now, that dream was dead, and they would have to face the reality of finding ordinary jobs and finishing degrees.
Once the hall was cleared of the failures, the L.E.C. turned his attention to the massive monitor above, his gaze sweeping over the remaining candidates.
"I want to congratulate those who passed. Some did so with ease, others barely scraped by, but you passed nonetheless. There are 42 teams heading into the next stage of Phase Two. You will remain teammates for the duration of this phase," the L.E.C. said, his voice dropping into a more serious tone.
"The next stage will be dangerous. As stated in the death waiver you signed, the SHIELD will not be held responsible for any loss of life. If you do not feel up to the task, you may leave now. Otherwise, stay and prove to the Elite that the future of the SHIELD is in good hands."
None of the 42 teams moved toward the exit. Having come this far, the air was filled not with fear, but with a growing roar of hype and determination. Watching from the balcony, the Elites looked on with faint smiles.
"Before the battle begins," the L.E.C. continued, "you will be escorted by supervisors to the weapon selection vault. Note that the blades provided are not constructed like standard SHIELD weaponry, and the blasters have been dialed down to minimum output. We want to see how you perform under these constraints. Each team has five minutes. Team One, you're up."
As the first team followed a supervisor into the warehouse, the tension in Zen's group boiled over. Ren grabbed Hoshizaki by the collar, shaking him furiously while Aiko tried to pry his fingers loose. Tsukiko was on the other side, desperately pulling on Hoshizaki's arm.
"What the hell is your problem, asshole? You almost got us eliminated!" Ren yelled, his face inches from Hoshizaki's.
Hoshizaki tried to apologize, but he was becoming dizzy from the shaking. "Get your hands off my big brother!" Tsukiko pouted.
"That's enough! If you kill him, we won't have a fifth member anymore," Aiko reasoned. Ren growled but finally let go.
Meanwhile, Zen sat on a nearby bench, lost in thought. Ren noticed his brother's distant look and walked over. "What's wrong?"
"It's just... we're using weapons operating at minimum output," Zen said, his eyes narrowed. "The blades are weak, the blasters are dampened, and yet we're expected to engage in something that could kill us. Doesn't that seem weird to you?"
Ren sighed heavily. "Come on, you're overthinking things again. You need to learn how to stop."
Tsukiko, still clinging to Hoshizaki's arm, nodded in agreement. "Yeah! All that matters is following the rules. I don't care as long as I get to be with my big brother." Hoshizaki looked down, looking utterly defeated by her affection.
"Actually," Aiko spoke up, her voice dropping to a whisper, "Zen's hunch is right. And I can explain why."
The team huddled around her. "Ayumu actually uses a weak blade," she started. "The weakest of the weak, if I'm being honest."
"No way," Ren scoffed. "I've heard stories of Ayumu slicing a portal in half. That's physically impossible."
Zen nodded. "The news caught it. He was running late for a meeting, a C-rank portal spawned in front of him, and he literally cut it out of existence. If he were using a weak blade, that wouldn't make sense."
"He wasn't running late for a meeting," Aiko corrected gently. "He was running late for my birthday. The news isn't always accurate, but the feat itself is true. The secret isn't the weapon—it's Orvex."
"Orvex?" Tsukiko asked, tilting her head.
Aiko nodded. "The weapons they make tap into our Orvex and enhance it. It is a very difficult technique to master; I only have it down a little bit. The exam uses weak weapons because they want to find people whose Orvex is great enough to improve a weapon's performance without them even realizing it. All the Elites can do it—I think they can boost a weapon's power from 5% up to 50% or more."
The team stood in shocked silence. "Wait... what happens if Ayumu uses a high-quality weapon like the rest of the Elites?" Hoshizaki asked.
Aiko shook her head. "He wouldn't, and it's best that way. If Ayumu used a high-quality sword and his Orvex leaked into it, a single slice from him could cut the entire city of Azura in half."
"All this time I thought the weapons made them strong," Zen whispered, "but it was the opposite."
The bell rang, signaling the exit of the first team. They emerged carrying their weapons; their Special Attack user carried a small bag of white powder. As Team Two stepped in, Ren groaned. "We're Team 42. The very last. We're going to be waiting forever."
He slumped onto the bench. Aiko sat next to him with a small smile. "At least we can use this time to rest our nerves."
"All my nerves are gone when I'm with my big brother!" Tsukiko chirped, hugging Hoshizaki tighter.
"Okay, okay, that's enough, let go!" Hoshizaki pleaded, though he eventually gave up.
Zen stood up suddenly, his eyes fixed on Aiko. "You said you've mastered this Orvex technique halfway, right?"
Aiko tensed slightly and nodded. "Yes... I've been training for years," she said, forcing a nervous laugh.
Zen stepped in front of her, looking away to hide his pride. "Teach me... teach all of us how to use this Orvex stuff. Please."
Aiko smiled brightly. "Well, I'm not sure there's enough time to master it, but I'll brief you on everything I know."
For the next several hours, the group sat in a tight circle, listening intently to Aiko's instructions. Many minutes passed as team after team entered and exited the warehouse. Finally, Team 41 emerged.
"Are you guys ready?" Zen asked.
The team nodded in unison, their faces set with new determination. Together, they turned and walked into the weapon warehouse.